Shock to the System
by Ricochet
Summary: No Summary Available


SHOCK TO THE SYSEM  
AUTHOR: Felicia McFurry  
EMAIL: Mel_B_52@Hotmail  
PART I  
AUTHORS NOTE:   
Okay, guys. I decided to do this saga differently. It is most likely like one big chapter. I dunno how many parts yet. But this is how it will be. This will probably be the last saga so I can return back to my fan fic that deals with just characters originally from the show. ENJOY!!! :)  
  
I dedicate this saga to the paramedics who saved me from my accident. But most importantly of all, Jake Bridges. He REALLY did save my life and I owe him so much.   
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Dark Kat was at the detention center in the middle of the MegaKat Mountains, where he kept Ricochet imprisoned. He had the place heavily guarded as well. There was no way he was going to let the SWAT Kats get her. But over the course of years, Dark Kat started to become attracted to her. By her beauty, her youthfulness, and her strong willed. At first, he wanted to kill her right off but now something inside of him wanted him to keep her. Was it love? Could a villain such as Dark Kat actually fall in love?? He approached her cell and walked in. Ricochet looked at him, with no favorness. Her feelings for him had remained the same. With him, he was carrying a cup of wine.  
"Ricochet, for all of your past betrayals, I can forgive. Please accept this offering. For I do not want your death," he said softly in a voice that no one had never heard Dark Kat use before. For one brief moment, he appeared like a normal, caring kat. He handed the cup of wine to her.  
Ricochet's eyes showed no change in feeling as she looked over at him and then approached him. She took the cup from him and took a sip. Dark Kat started to smile softly, he was so happy. Then, to Dark Kat's surprise, she spit the wine that she had in her mouth at his face. The wine hit his face, Dark Kat was so hit back for this. That at first, he just stood there, almost not aware of what had just happened.  
Ricochet continued to look at him with the same look, not speaking. Dark Kat' face went back to his normal, angry face. "You sorely test my patience," he said almost in a growl. He looked at her one more time with anger in his eyes, growling loudly. But then he just turned to leave.  
"You destroyed my family," Ricochet finally said angrily. Dark Kat turned back around to face her. "I am your enemy forever. So kill me now, if you dare."  
"Foolish child," Dark Kat said angrily. "A struggling worm on a hook makes a better catch than a dead one." Then with that, he turned and left her cell. Ricochet just stood at the door, watching him.  
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It was night fall at MegaKat City, Dusty was on the upper level of the garage, where there was a balcony and some chairs. From a certain position, you would be able to see the lights shining brightly from the sky. Dusty had went up there that night to get his mind off of the things. Jake was downstairs in the hangar, releasing his own frustration by another method. That method was taking all of his stress and anger on the punching bag. Usually Jake was the one who usually calmed down and thought things out. But he was just suffering soo much and had a little of Chance's influence into him. Plus Jake thought that this would be the best way, he knew if he kept all of his anger and frustration inside, he would go off on someone, and it might be someone that he deeply cared for. He didn't want to risk someone else. Chance was already in bed asleep, he felt bad for not being able to suffer like his friends, he did care for Rico, but he knew he could never feel the same pain as them. He knew that Jake understood his reasons why and respected them.   
Jake had finished his beating on the punching bag and decided that he needed to get some sleep if they wanted to look for Rico the next morning. He walked over to the workbench where he had placed a towel for him. He picked up the towel and wiped the sweat from his head. Suddenly an image of Felicia popped into his mind, he wanted to push it out, fearing that it would tear him apart. But he couldn't push her away, no he couldn't, he loved her. Suddenly he felt his knees began to feel weak as though he wanted to collapse right there and cry out his heart. But he knew he had to remain strong for her, she would have wanted him to. He would get her back, he wouldn't let Dark Kat win this time. "This time he *will* die, Jake muttered to himself as he turned away from the bench and made his way over to the ladder. When he climbed up the ladder, he made his way through the darken waiting room, he walked up the stairs to his room, when he reached upstairs, he thought he could hear someone sobbing. At first, he thought it was Chance but it was coming up on the balcony. He quietly walked up the steps, up there he saw Dusty, his paws covering his face, he could hear him softly sobbing to himself. Jake stood there in awe for a moment, seeing his own son crying like that. He knew that Dusty was going through soo much pain and hurt Jake just to see him like that.   
"Dusty?," Jake called to him.  
Dusty gasped in surprise and quickly wiped the tears from his eyes and turned around to face Jake. Jake knew that Dusty didn't want him to see that he had been crying, but Jake knew. "Yes, dad?," Dusty replied.  
Jake approached him and sat down in the chair beside him. He knew he wouldn't bring the fact that he knew that Dusty was crying. "The city is beautiful at night isn't it?," he asked.  
Dusty nodded. "But some scary too..," he softly said. "Dad..do-do you think that Mom is out there somewhere?"  
Jake closed his eyes, trying to find the right words. He really didn't know if Felicia was or not. "Yes, son, I do," he said, turning towards Dusty, smiling slightly. "We will get her back, I promise."  
Dusty nodded his head. "Dad, I want to help you and Chance"  
"I know, son. I talked to Chance about it and he said we might need the help. Plus he said after a few more months in training you could help be a weapons systems operator like me, so when I am down on the ground, he'll still have another person in the back seat," Jake commented. "Well, Dusty. You and I need to get to bed. Tomorrow will be a long day for us." He stood up, Dusty did the same. Then him and Jake went downstairs.  
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Meanwhile at Dark Kat's fortress, he was talking to Scorpion. He was angry at Ricochet and decided to teach her and the SWAT Kats not to mess with him. This time he had the perfect plan and they wouldn't suffer physically but mentally. The Dark Troopers that he had constructed were now ready for his ultimate plan. "I am approving the test demonstration. What I unveil today will mark a new era for us. I will be able to decimate the SWAT Kats just as I will the enforcers. At last my war will be filled only with the glory and beauty of decisive victory," Dark Kat said.  
"A noble cause, Dark Kat," Scorpion had noted. "I hope this demonstration lives up to your claims." He was getting tired of Dark Kat promising success and then failing. No matter if he was Dark Kat's servant.  
"It will," Dark Kat assured. He walked over to an intercom and pressed a button. "Dark Trooper release."   
3 Dark Troopers were transported into Dark Kat's Fear Ship. From there, they were taken to the destination where they would be tested in order to punish the SWAT Kats and anyone else who dared to defy him. Ricochet would pay later on, Dark Kat had promised himself.  
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That following morning it was around 5am when the alarm from the hangar started to sound. It was the distress signal. In hopes that it would be Rico, Jake jumped straight out of bed and high tailed it to the hangar. Chance and Dusty heard him booking it down the steps and got up, hoping too that it would be good news. Jake almost ran into the alarm button, he was running so fast. He quickly press the respond button. "Yes?," he called. Trying to catch his breath, his heart beating rapidly. This was it, he knew it *had* to be Rico or news about her whereabouts.  
"Razor, is that you?," a familiar voice responded over on the other side. It was Callie. "Are you okay? Why are you breathing so heavy?"  
"I am fine, Miss Briggs. Just in hopes that it would be good news," Jake replied. Callie had knew of Rico's katnapping and promised them that she would have every enforcer out looking for her.   
"Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this isn't good news," Callie said softly. Her voice almost breaking. Jake's ears droop immediately. It was almost like a gun shot. He almost collapsed from her answer. Chance and Dusty looked at each other with wide-eyed expressions.   
"What's wrong, Miss Briggs?," Chance asked. Knowing that Jake was still stunned in order to carry on the conversation.  
"Talay was destroyed last night around midnight. The entire island!," Callie said.  
"What?!!," all of the SWAT Kats replied. How could the entire island be destroyed.  
"We need you guys to come to City Hall where we are having a meeting with the enforcers," Callie quickly said.  
"Roger, Miss Briggs. We'll be there," Jake said and then turned off the intercom. Both he, Chance, and Dusty exchanged glances for a moment and then ran to their lockers, changing into their flight suits. Within a minute, the TurboKat was screaming out of the hangar and into the early morning sky. It was about dawn.   
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When the SWAT Kats arrived at City Hall, the landed the TurboKat outside of the building and ran inside. Callie's meeting was being held in the conference room which was on the 8th floor. Instead of waiting on the ever slow elevator, they decided to use the stairs. Sprinting up the stairs with all of their might. Then when reached the right floor, they decreased their pace back to a walk. When they reached the conference room, they saw Callie standing in the front of the table in the room, the media on one side of the table and the enforcers on the other. There was a tape player in the center of the room. All heads turned towards the SWAT Kats as they entered the room. They gave a few smiles and they went over to a wall and stood by it. Keeping their attention on Callie so she could carry on the meeting, Feral gave one last look to the SWAT Kats and then turned his head away in a snobbish manner.  
"Thank you, SWAT Kats, for responding at such short notice. Dark Kat has been keeping us on the run since we lost his whereabouts," Callie said smiling. Then her smile faded. "Last night, Dark Kat attacked one of our islands, Talay. The sister island of Anakata. Only about 12 miles away from Anakata and 30 miles from the city." She took the tape recorder and pulled it up to her so she would be more able to use it. "This is a tape recording of the distress call that the enforcers intercepted at the time of the attack." She pushed play on the tape recorder. A voice came over the intercom, some air was in it.  
*This is Talay to anybody out there...please...we're under attack...they're everywhere, there was no warning at all!!", the voice said over on the tape recorder. In the distant, everyone in the room could hear horrible screams then they were followed by frightening sound of the Dark Troopers. "Total devastation..." Air entered the tape where it made inaudible and then the rest of all static. Everyone looked at each other, with horror and fear in their eyes as if they had experience the horrible scene themselves.   
The scene had hit Callie hard because she had many friends on the island. She composed herself again and then continued her report. "Talay was destroyed in minutes..," she said softly. "Many innocent people in the surrounding city as well as enforcers positioned there were killed. Intelligence thinks this may be an act of ruining Dark Kat's plans of the ninja warriors.   
"Interesting. This looks like it could be a normal Dark Kat attack-except for those sounds," Razor commented. He didn't like the sound of what he had just heard. If Dark Kat had such a weapon to destroy an entire island, then he could be quite capable of destroying the city if he could magnify the weapon.   
"Those sounds you heard, we believe, come from a new weapon-a new type of warrior, the Dark Trooper," Callie replied. "We learned from ShadowKat about Dark Kat's construction about the Dark Trooper."   
Razor's and T-Bone's eyes grew wide and turned to ShadowKat. "You knew about this?!!," T-Bone whispered to ShadowKat.  
"Yeah..but I didn't think he would be able to perfect it," ShadowKat replied.  
"A new warrior that take down an island that quickly?," T-Bone asked out loud not to anyone in particular.   
No one could answer that question, because all of them were pondering the same thing. "I have a comment to make," Feral said as he stood up, he too, did not know that ShadowKat had knew about Dark Kat's plans for the Dark Trooper.   
Callie turned towards Feral. "What's that, Commander?," she asked  
"I would like to raise the question that why are we able to trust this *new* SWAT Kat? I mean, he *use* to be with Dark Kat. Also he had been with holding information from us. Information so valuable to us that it could have prevented this incident from us," he sternly replied. All heads turned to ShadowKat with the same suspicion.   
"I *was* not with holding information from everyone, Feral. I had told the Deputy Mayor. But I thought it was no concern since Dark Kat would not be able to perfect the Dark Trooper. Well I was wrong! So, sue me!," ShadowKat replied back, his hands curling into fists. "What are we going to do now?"  
"What do you mean "what are *we* going to do now?", Feral asked.  
"Ricochet's out there somewhere," ShadowKat said as he walked towards the window. Not showing his hurtful face.  
"I know Ricochet's out there," Feral said back bluntly.  
Razor tried to change the subject in order to keep ShadowKat from being ridiculed anymore. "What do you think we should do?," he asked.  
"Well since we have no clue for Dark Kat's whereabouts. Then I guess we will have to sit this one out until Dark Kat shows his face again. We will have to be on standby at all times of course. But we can't have a big searching team out, just in case Dark Kat decides to attack the city. That is of course, if ShadowKat doesn't know the whereabouts of Dark Kat," Feral said gleemily as he turned towards ShadowKat with a big smile.  
"I *don't* know the whereabouts of Dark Kat!," he growled with clench teeth. He turned around to face Feral, his voice then became sarcastic. "So that's the plan from the fearsome leader, we are just going to sit here on our tails?!"  
T-Bone's eyes got wide as he noticed that ShadowKat was going to challenge Feral. Razor just shook his head. "Well that's one influence from T-Bone..," he muttered to himself as he looked at his partner. T-Bone just grinned and shrugged.  
"I never said I was a fearsome leader," Feral growled back as he approached ShadowKat.  
"Here it comes.., "T-Bone muttered to Razor. They weren't going to stop their partner because maybe a little challenge to Feral might make him change his mind on the search.  
"Well you sure act like it sometimes," ShadowKat said not backing down.  
"Oh yeah? Well you act like a jerk sometimes! You know that?! And that attitude of yours isn't going to help either," Feral said.  
"Well maybe I should just take my attitude and leave!, ShadowKat shouted back. He turned towards the door.  
"Good, we don't need you!," Feral replied, now acting like a little kitten.   
"Fine I am gone!," ShadowKat shouted and walked out, slamming the door behind him. Razor and T-Bone just stood there, they really didn't know what side to take. ShadowKat was acting kind of like a jerk, that's because of all of the stress he had been dealing with lately. Razor decided that he should say something to Feral but it wouldn't be harsh. He understood that completely that Feral was just trying to do his job.   
"Look, Feral," he said as he approached him in a nonhostile manner. "ShadowKat just wants to make sure that everything will be okay."  
"Look, everything will be okay, if you guys for once listen to me!," Feral said. "You hotshots think that you are soo great and don't need any help on anything."  
"Believe me, Feral. We didn't become soo great. We had to practice and learn when to use our judgment and when not to," Razor responded softly and calmly. He could hear his partner, growling in a low tone in rage by Feral's smart aleck comments. But right now, Razor knew that they didn't be at each other's neck. For once, Razor believed that they would need Feral.  
But Feral decided to push Razor even more. "Well all of that practicing didn't help save Ricochet. Did it?," he asked out of anger. Razor stood there in awe for a moment, Feral's painful comment sinking in. Everyone gasped and T-Bone was surprised.   
Razor's eyes looked at Feral in disbelief by his remark. That comment had went beyond the limit that Razor could tolerate. "D*mn you, Feral. If you ever need help, don't bother asking me," he growled. With that he turned and left the room. T-Bone gave a very sharp look to Feral and then followed his partner.  
Feral watched them leave and then looked back at the rest of the kats in the room. All of their eyes set on him. "What are you looking at?," Feral asked, still angry. He got his stuff, excused himself from the room and then left.   
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When the SWAT Kats reached the TurboKat, they noticed that ShadowKat wasn't there waiting for them. "What are we going to do now, buddy?," T-Bone asked.  
Razor sighed. "I dunno, T-Bone. But first of all, we need to find ShadowKat." He turned around to face T-Bone, his face showed that he was soo hurt inside and was suffering.   
"Look, Razor. ShadowKat probably needs to be alone to blow off some steam. Feral got to him pretty bad. So why don't we go back to the hangar and plan this thing out. ShadowKat will bound to show up there," T-Bone suggested. He knew that Razor didn't really need to be out in his condition. He knew that Razor was thinking the same thing.  
"Okay. That would be best. Let's go," his partner replied. They jumped into the TurboKat and took off towards their hangar.   
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Meanwhile, ShadowKat was at a small part of the MegaKat beach where there was no kats around. He was sitting in the sand looking out in the water. He had taken the Cyclotron from the TurboKat and used it to get there. He remembered that Razor had told him that his mother use to love to go to the beach to get her mind off of thing. Now he understood her reasons why. The beach was so peaceful, the only sound was on the waves crashing. The ocean seemed soo free, not caring what goes on in life, just knowing that it could take you away from it all. How he loved to sail out into the ocean and never return to this place. But no, he had to. He wouldn't leave his mother again. Tears formed from his eyes and trickled down his face. "No I mustn't cry," he told himself. He was told by Dark Kat that crying was a sign on weakness. But even if it was his weakness he didn't care. Being away from his mother was the greatest torture to him yet. Suddenly more and more tears poured down his face, he couldn't fight them and he wasn't. This was a retaliation to Dark Kat. The more he thought of his mother, and what Dark Kat was doing to her, the more he cried. He pushed his knees up to his chest and laid his head on top of them, his arms covering his head. He started to sob hard.   
Suddenly his ears perked up when he heard the sound of someone begging for help. He got up and tried to follow the sound. It sounded like a young girl. Suddenly he saw her, she running towards the shore and then collapsed, sobbing softly. He ran to her. She was laying on her stomach, face down in the sand. He knelt down beside her. "Are you okay, miss?," he asked softly. He was afraid to touch her, afraid that she would hurt him or something.  
She gasped in terror and looked up. "Ah! Don't hurt me!," she cried as she started to back away from him. The young shekat looked about the age of 19. She was about Felicia's fur color but a little darker, with long, dark brown hair. She had major bruises on her face, plus her clothes were torn, scratches on her arms and legs. ShadowKat could tell her that she was beaten up pretty bad.  
"I won't hurt you," he said calmly. "What happened to you? What's your name?"  
"My name is Bridgitte. He's after me. You must save me!," she cried desperately.  
She clinged on to him, ShadowKat stood there awestruck. He didn't know what to do. Then the girl started to become out of breath.   
"Who's after you??," ShadowKat asked.   
Bridgitte looked up at you, weakly. The injuries were now getting to her, and the fact that she was out of breath from her journey to escape. "D-Dark Kat...," she said and then collapsed in his arms. ShadowKat's eyes grew wide as he held her. He knew that he had to get her to safety. He carried her back to the Cyclotron and then picked up his communicator.  
"Razor, this is ShadowKat. I need assistance. I found someone that may help us find Dark Kat," he said.  
*"Roger. We're on our way, "*Razor's voice replied over the communicator. ShadowKat put the communicator up and then cradled Bridgitte in his arms. Hoping that Dark Kat would not show up before the SWAT Kats do.   
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Once the SWAT Kats arrived, they decided that the best thing to do would to take Brigitte back to their hangar. They would keep her only in the hangar so she wouldn't learn of their identities. Plus they would be more able to get information from her without Feral bothering them. Razor had found a couple of old blankets and had placed them on the hangar's floor then put two pillows at the end of it. T-Bone put Bridgitte down on the blankets and took another one to cover her with. ShadowKat knelt down beside her and held her paw. For some reason, he was attracted to this young she-kat. He could feel soo much pain inside of her. Razor and T-Bone exchanged glances and then focused their attention back at the young she-kat.   
Bridgitte had remain unconscious for about a couple of hours. But then around 9am, she had awaken. "Wh-Where am I..?," she asked weakly. ShadowKat couldn't help himself from smiling, she was going to make it.  
"You're in our hangar," he said softly. "I took you here because you said that Dark Kat was after you. I feared you would be in danger if you went to a hospital."  
Bridgitte smiled. "Thanks," she said softly as she smiled up at him.  
"Bridgitte, could you tell us why Dark Kat was after you?," Razor asked.  
Bridgitte looked away as if she didn't want to answer the question. But ShadowKat knew he had to get the answer. He must k now Dark Kat's whereabouts if he was going to save his mother from his clutches. "Bridgitte, please..," he pressed. "I really must know it, someone's life depends on it."  
She sighed and then said, "Dark Kat was after me because I was being held by him. At first he wanted to make me into one of his ninjas. Then when he was constructing the Dark Trooper, he wanted to find out if he could merge kats into one of the robots to make them more intelligent. He wanted to use me as a guinea pig. But I refused. Then when I did, he started to beat me up. I was lucky enough to escape."  
"Wait. Wait. You know about the Dark Trooper?," T-Bone questioned. Brdigitte nodded.   
"Then you must know of Dark Kat's whereabouts," Razor stated. Bridgitte again nodded.  
All 3 SWAT Kats smiled, this was it, they were going to find Dark Kat and Ricochet. "Bridgitte," ShadowKat started again as he took her paw and held it gently. "Do you know if Dark Kat had any other prisoners?"  
"Yes he did actually. Some other she-kat, wearing a black uniform. He was treating her pretty roughly though," Bridgitte said.  
ShadowKat's and Razor's eyes widen with fear. Razor slammed his fist on the work bench and turned around. Without saying a word to anyone he ran up the steps. T-Bone's jaw dropped when he saw Razor react like this. "I'll talk to him," he said and followed Razor. Making sure that Razor wouldn't do something stupid.   
Bridgitte at all of this confusedly. "What did I say?"  
ShadowKat sighed and then looked at her. "That she-kat, that's my mother..," he softly said, his voice choking. He was going to break down again, he knew it. He got up and walked over to the work bench, making sure that she wouldn't see him. But Bridgitte could tell that he was hurt, she heard him sobbing softly. She felt so bad inside, wishing that she was able to save ShadowKat's mother as well herself. If only she could tell him the main reason why she ran away. No matter if she was still weak or not, she made herself get up. Taking small steps, she approached him.   
"ShadowKat..," she started to say.  
He quickly turned around. "Bridgitte! You shouldn't be up!," he quickly said as he motioned for her to go back. She shook her head and opened her arms, welcoming him for a hug. He smiled softly and embraced her. They both put their arms around each other. As if a miracle, both of them basically forgot all of their troubles and felt soo happy, and peaceful in each other's arms. They couldn't stop themselves from purring. When ShadowKat realized this strange attraction and pulled back and gaped. Looking into her eyes, something about her was soo right for him. He touched her face softly, feeling her soft fur. Brigitte rubbed her face against his paw, purring. This was love, he knew it! But would he risk this right now? Yes, he knew he couldn't stop it.   
"Bridgitte I...," he said, not able to finish his sentence, lost so deep in her eyes, he moved closer to her. Before he knew it, he kissed her on the lips. Their lips touching ever soo softly. After a few kisses, ShadowKat pulled back, amazed at this. He took her paws in his. "You know I shouldn't be doing this right now, Bridgitte. I mean the situation my mother is in now and everything. It feels sooo wrong but it feels soo right," he said.   
"I know..," Bridgitte said. "Look, ShadowKat, if I am going to cause problems for you right now.."  
He put his fingers onto her lips. "Don't speak," he said softly as he drew her closer again. Kissing her again, this time with more passion He swept her into his arms and carried her to back to her bed. He placed her down gently and look at her beauty. "Now I told you that you shouldn't be up right now and need be in your bed," he grinned at her.  
"Join me," she said. Grinning back, pulling down him down to her. She playfully growled at him.  
He looked at her. "Is that an order, Bridgitte?"  
"Yes," she smirked.  
"Well then duty calls," he replied and playfully growled back at her. He placed his lips back on hers and started to kiss her again. Each time harder, their emotions running wild. He was on top of her, frenching her, while she was moaning as he touched her body.   
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The following morning, Jake and Chance were upstairs in the kitchen eating breakfast. ShadowKat had remained downstairs in the hangar, watching over Bridgitte. Jake's eyes were almost shut and his fur was all place. He had hardly got any sleep at all, by the way he looked. For a lot of main reasons. First of all, worrying about Ricochet. But they did manage to find out Dark Kat's whereabouts from Bridgitte. Second of all, he had heard Bridgitte and ShadowKat the other day and was worried about the situation. He wasn't sure that it was a good idea that ShadowKat should start a relationship right now with her. But of course, things happen and sometimes they can't be stopped. But if ShadowKat was happy then he wasn't going to change it. Chance looked over at his friend who was still in deep thought over something. Probably knowing that it was about Ricochet, he decided against it to ask Jake if he was okay. "Where's Dusty?," he asked.  
"He's still downstairs with Bridgitte, "Jake said a little sad tone in his voice. Chance almost could pick up the tone. Jake wasn't going to tell Chance about what he knew, because he knew that Chance would start to pick on his son and it wasn't best right now.   
Suddenly Rain ran into their waiting room and collapsed on the ground, breathing really hard, almost not able to catch his breath. Jake and Chance sprang up from their chairs and ran over to him. Both of them growling at Rain's appearance, they had remembered him from their last encounter. "What are you doing here?!," Jake demanded, as he growled lowly.  
Rain looked up at them with some strength. "I-I must talk with Sub-Zero. It's important..," he said, wheezing.  
"Why should we?!," Chance demanded as he picked up Rain by his suit. His grip was choking him.  
"It-It pertains to Dark Kat," Rain managed to get out as he was coughing from Chance's grip.  
"Dark Kat??," Chance asked, releasing some of his grip.  
"Chance, release him!," Jake said, Chance dropped Rain to the ground. "Listen, Rain. We will have to blindfold you to take you to him."  
"Look, I already know you guys are the SWAT Kats. Sub-Zero is your son," Rain said smirking a little as he stood up.   
Jake and Chance looked at each other. Chance just shrugged, not really knowing if they should trust this guy or not. But they knew they would have to, if they wanted to stop Dark Kat. "Fine, "Jake said. "Go downstairs to the hangar. We'll be there in a moment. Sub-Zero's downstairs along with someone else, so don't tell them about us being the SWAT Kats."  
"Okay," Rain agreed as he ran over to the manhole in the kitchen floor that led to the hangar. Once watching him go in there, Jake and Chance sprinted up to their rooms to change into their flight suits.  
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ShadowKat turned around when he saw Rain entering the hangar, his eyes widen at first; fearing that Rain was going to attack him or something. Right now, he didn't trust anyone who came from Dark Kat. But Rain was his friend so he would not attack back. Rain, again collapsed to the floor. "Rain!!," ShadowKat shouted and ran over to aid him. He looked at his fallen friend and spotted a fatal wound on Rain's chest. He was surprised that Rain had made it this far. Bridgitte, too, had recognized Rain and ran over to him. T-Bone and Razor had entered the hangar as well to see the scene that was happening before them. "Who did this to you??," ShadowKat growled, as anger surged through him.  
"Dar-Dark Kat..," Rain managed to say as the wound to started to take its toll on him. He looked up and noticed Bridgitte beside him. "Dark Kat's stepdaughter...Bridgitte.."  
Bridgitte smiled softly and rubbed her paw against Rain's face. ShadowKat's eyes widen. He looked up at her, his eyes narrowing with hatred. With that, Rain, started to choke for air and then closed his eyes. His breathing stopped. Bridgitte continued to watch him, her eyes filling up with tears.   
ShadowKat looked back at Rain and jerked at him to try to make him awaken. But no use. "He's dead...," he said  
"Dark Kat was after us.., "Bridgitte replied and stood up. She walked over to the bench and glanced towards the wall, trying to calm herself. ShadowKat stood after her.  
"Did you hear me?! He's dead!," ShadowKat said, full of hurt. Bridgitte had betrayed him.  
"I heard you," she replied sadly. "Dark Kat must have traced me to him. I warned him to leave."  
"Dark Kat's stepdaughter??! You didn't mention that!," he growled. His paws balling up into fists.  
"Would you cared for me if you had known it?," she demanded, turning towards him angrily.  
"I would have killed you on the spot until waiting now," He growled back and jumped at her. Bridgitte was pushed to the ground by him, but made no effort to fight him back. She did not wish to fight him even though he was. T-Bone and Razor stood on the sidelines of this one, not knowing what to believe. Bridgitte reached into her pocket and pulled out a smoke ball and threw it at the floor. Smoke came out of the ball and started to fill the hangar up with it, making visibility 0. The SWAT Kats started to cough as the smoke poured into their lungs, and shielded their eyes as the smoke started to burn them. Within minutes, the smoke was gone, but so was Bridgitte. ShadowKat looked around frantically, trying to find her. He growled in rage, feeling betrayed and the loss of his friend, Rain. He glanced over at his dad and T-Bone and then back at Rain. He *had* to find her. "Bridgitte will die for this," he said sadly as the tears filled his eyes. He ran out of the hangar in search of her.   
"Hey, ShadowKat! Wait!," Razor had called to him but he was too late. T-Bone put his paw on Razor's shoulders.  
"Let him go, buddy," he said. "Finding Bridgitte might help us more with Dark Kat." Razor sighed in knowing that his burly partner was right and then nodded his head.  
"I just hope that he'll be alright, he commented.  
***********************************************************************  
Night had fallen on the city skies. Bridgitte had taken refuge in a water drain pipe outside the city. She wanted to make sure that she would stay out of sight from ShadowKat and from Dark Kat. He probably had his troops out looking for her, but she wouldn't go back. Not even for Ricochet. Though she truly cared for ShadowKat, she could never go back to the horror that she was in when she was with Dark Kat. When Bridgitte was 10 years old, Dark Kat had killed her parents when they had a debt from him and weren't able to pay. In doing so, it had left her an orphan and Dark Kat had taken her away with him to make her his daughter. She sighed and sat down, ignoring the fact that the pipe was damp. It didn't matter as long as she was safe and could rest. After a little nap she would return on to her journey. She had to get away from this place but she knew if she did remain alone, she would be more vulnerable. But right now, her one true ally, had believed that she had betrayed him. For sure, he would kill her if he finds her.   
She rested her head against the pipe's wall and started to think about her life as Dark Kat's stepdaughter. All of the pain and torture she had gone through. Suddenly a familiar scene that she just recently had popped into her head:  
* Dark Kat had called for her to approach his "throne room". Dark Kat was sitting in his chair when she came in. "Hello," Dark Kat said softly to her.   
"Why have you brought me to this terrible place?," Bridgitte demanded, as she looked at him angrily. Dark Kat did not answer, just looked at her. His eyes soothingly.  
"Is this why I am here? So you can stare at me?"  
"One of my greatest joys," Dark Kat replied as he looked up to her.  
"Really?," she replied, still having hatred to him. "Have you seen enough?"  
"Not yet," he said as he looked her. He had likeness to her as well. He became more attracted to her and wanted her to be with him. For a long period of time, Dark Kat had been alone and it was getting to him.  
"I have an old picture of my mother, why don't I give it to you. That way you can enjoy yourself with it," Bridgitte said harshly. She had learned of Dark Kat's lust for her and she wasn't about to give into him. With that she turned to leave, not really wanting to talk to him, but Dark Kat grabbed her arm. "I wish to leave," she said firmly as she struggled a little. Then she turned back around to face him. "Even for you, this is tedious."  
Dark Kat stood up and approached her. His paw softly rubbing her face. "Such impatience, Bridgitte. Is there somewhere else you rather be?," he asked softly and gently, his fingers stroking her hair softly. Running them through them and then back to her face again. "What are you planning?"  
"Nothing," Bridgitte said without hesitation. "My plans died years ago."  
"With your father," Dark Kat added as he looked at her.  
"And my mother," Bridgitte added lastly. Making sure that Dark Kat knew that he was responsible for both of their lives.  
"She took her own life," Dark Kat stated, as he waved her reply away. His statement was true, once Dark Kat had killed Bridgitte's father. He told her and her mother that they would stay with him and being in debt to him with their lives. Her mother not wanting this fate, chose to join her husband by taking her own life. Bridgitte, on the other hand, was scared and frightened, and decided against. Hoping one day, she would flee Dark Kat and make him pay.  
"She thought it better than submission to you," Bridgitte said.  
"Yet *you* accept it," Dark Kat said as he looked at her. He took one of her paws and held it out, looking at it lovingly. He drew it closer to his mouth. "You remain my daughter."  
She jerked her paw away sharply. "Daughter! Not lover!," she growled. Dark Kat had approached her many times.   
"Obedient, I hope," he replied as he looked at her, almost hurt.  
"Always, Dark Kat," Bridgitte replied sarcastically.  
"It's a wise choice, Bridgitte. So many have suffered by opposing me," Dark Kat said as if a warning to her.  
"You are a great warrior on the battlefield," Bridgitte responded, trying to butter Dark Kat up, to keep his suspicions away from her.  
"And ever alert on the throne," Dark Kat finished for her. "Rebels, plotters, spies--all have failed."  
"Is this my lesson for today?," Bridgitte asked, almost smirking.  
"For *your* life," Dark Kat said, his voice now with warning to her. He walked back to his chair, holding her hands, pulling her with him. He sat down and looked up at her. His eyes full of caring and compassion. "Stay loyal, Bridgitte. And remain forever as a princess. Once I am the ruler of MegaKat City."  
"Or defy you and die," Bridgitte added in and pulled her arms away from him. With that she turned and left.  
On her way out she heard Dark Kat reply back, "It would be a great waste."  
With that remark, she turned around once more to face him. Their eyes looking into each other's and then turned back around, walked out.  
************************************************************************  
She was awaken from her revelation once she sensed that she was being watched. She looked out and saw ShadowKat. She couldn't believe it! She found him. Bridgitte got up quickly and left, ShadowKat now hot on her tail. She led him into the woods, trying to lose him, still weak from her last escape. But ShadowKat was not going to let up one bit. She turned around and noticed he was gone. Bridgitte decided to catch her breath, hoping that she had lost him. Suddenly ShadowKat jumped at her from the side, knocking them both down. He pulled out knife that he had with him and placed it at her neck. "You die now!," he screamed with rage.  
"But first, hear what I have to say," she said.  
"Start talking!," he demanded as he kept the knife to her neck.  
"I am Bridgitte Feral," she said. "That is true, it also true that I am the stepdaughter of Dark Kat. But I had no choice in that fate."  
"Your real father--," ShadowKat started, letting up on the knife.  
"Executed by Dark Kat, along with my mother," she said sadly. ShadowKat felt so bad that he put the knife away and got off of her.  
"What about Rain?," he asked.  
"A loyal friend, who stayed behind to keep Dark Kat busy. He had helped me escape," she said, her voice breaking, knowing that it hurt her too much to talk about it. She got up and wiped away her tears. ShadowKat looked at her, wondering something.  
"Rain..was he your boyfriend?," he asked.  
"No, he was my brother..," she said softly. Then it dawned on ShadowKat. Rain was the young nephew of Commander Feral that was captured when he was captured. Brigitte must have been captured sometime afterwards.   
"Look, Bridgitte. I am sorry..," he said. His face full of guilt. "I didn't know what you have been through.."  
"It's okay, ShadowKat. I should have told you," she said as she walked up to him. She put her arms around him. "I still love you, you know."  
ShadowKat smiled back. "I love you too." With that they kissed softly. Then he pulled back and said, "Listen, it's not safe for you out here. I will take you back to the hangar. But I must explain everything that you told me to the other SWAT Kats."  
Bridgitte nodded in her head agreement. "May you take me to see my uncle Uly sometime? He's all I have now," she said.  
"I will do that for you. Though that's one of thing that my partners wouldn't like about you," ShadowKat said and grinned.  
She looked up at him, confused. "What's that? Because I'm related to Commander Feral? Do they not like him?"  
"You-you can say something like that..," ShadowKat grinned and put his arms around her. He took her back to the hangar.  
************************************************************************  
Once they returned to the hangar, ShadowKat had explained to T-Bone and Razor, everything that Bridgitte had told them. As he anticipated, they didn't like her relation to Feral. "Are you crazy??," T-Bone asked.  
"Yeah, I am crazy," ShadowKat said, getting frustrated. "A loony okay?"  
"Why?," Razor asked.  
"Oh I don't know. I thought maybe I could tick you guys off a lot in life. You know become kind of like a freelance vigilante, fall in love with a Feral. What do you think?," he sarcastically said.   
"Hmm," Razor said and then he glanced over at T-Bone and shrugged. They knew that ShadowKat would remain stubborn on this. Then Razor grinned. "Well T-Bone, looks like Brigitte here, knows where we are now." Him and T-Bone grinned over at Brigitte. "We should kill her now.."  
"Yep, we'll kill her. But now we have work to do," T-Bone said. ShadowKat smiled at them.   
"Thanks, guys," he said softly as he put his arms around Brigitte. He turned towards Brigitte. "Well, my love, its almost Christmas. A few more days. Maybe we should go deliver Feral's present to him early."  
"Yes, let's go," she grinned. They walked over to the Cyclotron and got on. Then ShadowKat revved it up and peeled out of the hangar.   
Razor looked over at T-Bone. "You know he's crazy," he commented.  
"Yeah, well so were you. Remember, about Felicia?," he asked and smiled.  
"Yep," he grinned. "Speaking of which, time to do another thorough scan of the city." They hopped into the TurboKat. T-Bone flew the TurboKat out into the night sky of MegaKat.  
***********************************************************************  
Feral was in his office doing some paperwork when there was a knock at his door. He grumbled, fearing that it would be Steele griping about something else. "Come in..," he grumbled. ShadowKat walked in first, but made Brigitte stay out of the way first, to make it a surprise.  
"Good day to you, Feral," he said smiling.  
"What do you want, SWAT Kat?," he said harshly, not really wanting to deal with ShadowKat.  
"I brought you a Christmas present," he said with glee.  
"I don't want any Christmas present from a low life vigilante like you," Feral said and then went back to his paperwork.  
ShadowKat shrugged and then grinned. "Very well. Too, bad, Bridgitte, he didn't want to see you," he said outloud that Feral had heard him. Feral's ears perked up when ShadowKat mentioned Bridgitte's name.  
He quickly pushed away the papers he was working on. "Bridgitte?! She's here?!," he said excitedly.  
"Yep," ShadowKat said happily and pushed the door all the way open, to allow Bridgitte to walk in. When Feral saw her, his eyes went wide with surprise, tears were actually forming. To any person who knew Feral too well would have thought that this wasn't Feral. He got up and ran over to her, hugging her.  
"You're alive!! Holy Kats!!," he said as he hugged her tightly. Bridgitte smiled happily too, tears rolling down her cheeks.   
"I missed you soo much, uncle," she said as she returned the hug. ShadowKat just stood there, watching the happy moment. "I have so much to tell you."  
*********************************************************************  
T-Bone and Razor were doing their full scan on the city, but still they were ending up empty handed. "Looks like still nothing, buddy," T-Bone said as he sighed and shook his head.  
"Yeah I guess so..," Razor said sadly as he hid back the tears. He hated this soo bad, he wanted to be with Rico again. Suddenly he wanted to go the place where Brigitte said that Dark Kat was keeping the Dark Trooper and blow them up. He wanted to keep Dark Kat from doing the same thing he did to Talay that he would to the city. "Hey, T-Bone. Why don't we check out that site with the Dark Troopers," he said hopefully.  
"Ah, buddy. Don't you think we should get some help with that. I think that place would be heavily guarded," T-Bone said.  
"But T-Bone, the less people we have, the easier it will be to get the drop on Dark Crud," Razor protested.  
T-Bone sighed. "Fine, where's this place at?"  
"Some place located in the MegaKat Mountains. In the town of Fest," Razor stated, remembering exactly what Brigitte had told them.  
"Okay. Fest here we come," T-Bone said and set the TurboKat's course to Fest.  
*********************************************************************  
To be continued...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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